5 - Alsace Flashcards
Describe the climate of Alsace (5)
Northerly latitude –> growing season length + sunshine hours
Continental –> winter/summer temp differential
Vosges mountains –> 600mm rain per year (half the western side of mountains)
- Summer drought
- Rain spread evenly throughout year
Fohn wine - warm –> temp + fungal disease
Altitude - diurnals
Describe the topography and soils of Alsace (2)
Foothills - diverse vineyards with different altitudes, aspects
- From 200-450m, best 200-250m
- Best sites have SW/S/SE exposure –> sunlight
- Soil varies considerably –> less fertile, better drained, warmer
Plains
- Deeper, fertile soil –> vegetative growth –> yields and ripeness
- Less drainage
What are the top six grape varieties planted? Which are noble and permitted on GC sites?
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat are noble
Describe Riesling including budding, ripening, resistances, yield, flavours, structure and price/quality.
Buds late –> spring frost
Late ripening –> required growing season length
Resistant to winter freeze, downy mildew, powdery, botrytis
High yielding while maintaining quality (up to 70hL/ha)
Med - pronounced aromas of citrus, stone fruit, minerality, unoaked
Dry, high acid, med-full body, med alcohol
Good-outstanding, mid-priced-premium (some SP)
Describe Gewurztraminer including budding, ripening, vigorousness, yield, vulnerabilities, colour, flavours, structure and price/quality
Early budding
Early ripening –> autumn rain but picked late to ensure ripe skins –> tannins
Vigorous –> pruning + canopy mngt
Moderate yields due to coulure
Vulnerable to chlorosis, stem desiccation, powdery mildew, grapevine moth, grey rot –> various free clones (?)
Med lemon colour
Pronounced lychee, peach, rose, spice
Dry-sweet, low acid, med-high alcohol, med-full body
Good - outstanding, mid-priced - premium
Describe Pinot Blanc including budding, ripening, vulnerabilities, flavour, structure and price-quality
Early budding
Early ripening
Prone to fungal disease
Low-intensity apple and peach
Med acid and alcohol
Acceptable - good, inexpensive - mid-priced
Describe Auxerrois (may also be labelled Pinot Blanc) and what it is used for (4)
Early ripening
Low-intensity aromatics
Low acid
Mainly used in blends or Cremant
Describe Pinot Gris including budding, ripening, yield, vulnerabilities, flavours, structure and price/quality
Early budding
Early ripening
Moderate yields
Vulnerable to BBR, downy
Med intensity peach, apple –> honey and smoke with age
Dry - sweet, med acid, rich oily texture (best examples)
Good - outstanding, mid-priced - premium
Why is Pinot Gris being harvested earlier? (3)
Climate change - earlier start, warmer
Better canopy mngt - grapes ripening sooner
Market demanding drier styles - more wines dry 12.5-13.5% rather than 13.5% and off-dry
Why has Pinot Noir improved in quality in Alsace? (2)
Name two leading domaines producing PN.
Warmer climate - more ripeness
Increased demand –> investment in planting on better sites, more care taken
Describe the flavour and structural characteristics of Sylvaner (2)
What has the trend of plantings been and how does that explain its reputation as a source of good value/HQ wine?
Low intensity, green - tropical fruit, earthy
Controlled yields –> dry, med-med+ acid, med body
Declining plantings –> few plantings of valley floor + older vines >40 yrs –> better quality
Describe the characteristics of Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains (4)
Aromatic
Tolerates dry weather –> Med climates
Susceptible to powdery, botrytis, mites
Muscat Ottonel - tiny amounts, ripens earlier –> autumn rain
How are vines usually trained?
What is the typical density?
Where is terracing necessary?
Single/double Guyot - fruiting zone trained high 1-1.2m –> frost (esp on plains) + reduce humidity (rain is low but regular)
Canopy trained up to 1.9m –> exposure to sun –> spacing between vines to avoid shading
Density = 4,400-4,800 VPH –> lower density on valley floor
Some steep GC sites
What are the main vineyard diseases and pests? (4)
What factors reduce the incidence of disease? (2)
Powdery mildew / downy mildew, grapevine moth, esca (fungal, warm/dry climates, tiger stripes, yield + death)
Warm, sunny and dry climate reduces the incidence of fungal disease
Smaller scale of production increases monitoring of vines
What % of Alsace’s vineyards are certified organic?
15% cf. national average of 10% (NB out-of-date as of 2019, 14% of vineyard area certified organic in France)
Describe harvesting in Alsace (3)
Long harvest - early Sept - late Oct –> range of sites and styles
Steep slopes and GC –> picked by hand
Gentle slopes and plain –> picked by machine
Describe the winemaking process in Alsace (6)
Broadly: single varieties and aim to preserve primary fruit
Skin-contact or slow pressing –> extra aromatics and texture from skins
Cool ferments for Muscat, Riesling, Sylvaner; mid-range from Gewurtz
Inert vessels e.g. SST and large old oak; temp control may not be necessary as cellars are cool
Malo avoided - primary fruit
New oak - rarely used
Maturation in large neutral contains with fine lees (freshness)
Dryness - varies significantly be producer –> some label and region in process of codifying sweetness
Why is Gewurtz fermented at a higher temp?
- High sugar levels require warm fermented to ensure most can be turned into alcohol
- Cool ferments give banana aroma
- Gewurtz has plenty of aromatics so loss of some to higher temps not an issue
Is chaptalisation allowed?
Yes and especially used in cool years
Outline the max yields within Alsace AOC
AOC white wines:
- Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer - 80 hL/ha (high)
- Riesling - 90 hL/ha
- Pinot Blanc - 100 hL/ha (very high)
- Named commune (13) Bergheim - 72 hL/ha
- Named lieu-dit - 68 hL/ha
Pinot Noir AOC is 60 hL/ha (mid)
GC: 55hL/ha –> 50 e.g. Rangen
Outline the GC system in Alsace including debates around its design (7)
Introduced in 75
Single noble varieties Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer
Exceptions: three vineyards may produce blends or use Sylvaner
Since 2011, all 51 vineyards designated GC are their own GC –> each can vary rules on max yields and varieties
No PN GCs yet
Debate: GCs too large, yields too high
Trimbach and Hugel have started using the term after initially rejecting it
Outline the difference between VT and SGN labelling terms
VT - can be sweet or dry, SGN must be sweet
VT - doesn’t have to be affected by Botrytis, SGN must be
VT needs 14-15% ABV if fermented to dryness
Minimum sugar levels (must) VT/SGN (about 18% higher)
Muscat/Riesling - 235 / 276
PG/Gewurtz - 257 / 306
Describe the structure of production in Alsace. (2)
Where is Alsatian wine sold?
Average vineyard holding <3.5ha
Co-ops = 40% of sales (good rep)
75% sold domestically, 25% export (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, North America)
How must AOC Alsace wine be packaged?
Tall flute bottles, no BIB - brand identity but confusion with German wines
Outline how the diversity of style impacts how AOC Alsace is marketed?
Many varieties across multiple sweetness levels –> 20-35 bottlings per large producer e.g. Hugel, Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht
Sales based on image of Alsace / rep of producer rather than cuvee
